Meanwhile, parts of central and southern New Zealand will get a brief reprieve from the intense heat today, but MetService predicts warm winds will return midweek, causing temperatures to rise again.

"A ridge of high pressure has dropped anchor just north of the country for the week, which is great news for holiday-makers in the upper North Island," meteorologist Rob Kerr says.

"However, wind and rain are going to affect outdoor plans further south for a period from the middle of the week, as a moist, warm, northwest flow sweeps over southern and central parts, followed by a cooler southerly change over the South Island on Friday which will give many a break from warm muggy nights."

"The West Coast of the South Island will catch the brunt of the rain during the latter half of the week, as those fronts make their way northwards, but eastern parts of the South Island and lower North Island will see daytime temperatures into the high 20s again as the northwest winds pick up from Wednesday," he says.